A Summer's Promise
by Dragon Star Queen
Summary: Semi-AU. Gender bent. Always impulsive, Suzako promises Leloucia that she'll be her knight. Suzako/Leloucia. Gino&Suzako later on. As always, YaminoJackie gives the voice to Leloucia, thank you, Princess.
1. Chapter 1

_[[Author's Note; These stories are set in a head canon, Lelouch and Suzaku are now lovely bishshojo and the concept of Geass never exisits, Marianne is still very much alive, and Nunnally can still see and walk. Leloucia has other reasons for hating the empire.]]_

There wasn't a sound in the air as Suzako sat there, twisted pieces of shrapnel scattered at her feet. The sun was setting behind her, dyeing the sky in deep reds and oranges.

_I-_

"Suzy! Suzy!"

Olive eyes snapped up. There was only one person that could get away calling her that. Suzako stood up as the Britannian princess came into view, panting a little as her pace slowed. The bottom of her sundress was torn, and her legs were scratched and bruised.

"Luluko, your leg-"

"Here you are! Dammit, Suzy, why did you run away from me?"

Suzako looked away, trying to escape Leloucia's disapproving glare. "I-"

"Never mind that," Leloucia sighed and stepped closer to her friend. "They'll be here soon, so I came to say goodbye, Suzy."

Suzako's eyes grew wide, looking back up at the princess. "Goodbye?"

Leloucia nodded slowly, her features falling. She had always known she wasn't really sent here to study abroad. It was just a lie to keep her little sister, Nunnally, at ease. They were political tools and nothing more. So now that the war was over…

"I have to return to the homeland."

"Oh…" was the only answer Suzako could muster. She didn't have it in her to be angry at this situation. It was what she deserved for the sin she committed when she selfishly murdered her father. That was how she justified having her only friend taken away from her.

The princess looked at the ground between the two of them. She didn't want to admit that Suzako's reaction hurt her more than leaving.

"What about you, what are you going to do now?"

"Old man Kirihara says I should go to the Britannian military base for now."

"But you hate Britannia!"

"I don't have much of a choice."

Leloucia's fingers balled into fists and shook at her sides. She didn't know this girl standing before her. This person would roll over and obey orders. This person was not her Suzy. Her Suzy would argue and fight back, even if it was pointless to do so.

Suzako shook her head, smiling sadly. "But I guess now it's a good thing."

The princess gasped, looking wide eyed at her friend. "What?"

"I'm going to work to be your knight," Suzako said, a faint line of determination in her voice. She didn't know it yet, but she wouldn't trust Leloucia's life with anyone else.

Leloucia's face lit up, her eyes watering. Maybe she wouldn't have to live without this girl she had grown so close to. "Oh, Suzy!" Leloucia began to run forward toward Suzako when suddenly her arm was  
grabbed. She cried out of instinct, trying to pull away.

"Your Highness, don't run off like that. It's time to go now." The guard spoke in a monotone.

"No!" Leloucia cried out, trying to break away from the man. She was always so weak. But suddenly, he had let go. When Leloucia opened her eyes, Suzako had the guard on his knees in pain.

"Don't touch my princess, you Brit shit!"

"Your princess?" Leloucia whispered, unsure if she liked the thought of belonging to Suzako.

Suzako turned around quickly, taking Leloucia's hands in hers. She knew she didn't have long before the guard recovered.

"Luluko, I swear to you I'll be your knight one day. For real this time," Suzako assured Leloucia as she pulled her into a tight embrace. "I promise you I will."

Leloucia stood there stunned; slowly she wrapped her arms around Suzako. There was a painful burn in her chest. This girl was willing to give up everything so easily. She felt tears collect in her eyes. "Suzy…" she whispered as she held the girl closer to her.

The two girls stood there holding each other, Leloucia's tears seeping into Suzako's shirt, until they were violently ripped apart by the recovered guard. Suzako was sent crashing into the ground. Her leg torn open by the twisted shrapnel.

She grit her teeth against the pain that clouded her eyes as she looked up at the guard. He had a tight grip on Leloucia's arm. The princess's face held a look of sheer terror as she watched through tear filled eyes as her friend bled into the ruined pavement. Suzako went to get up but her leg was already numb from the pain.

"Let her go!" Suzako screamed, frustrated that she couldn't move.

"Shut up, you worthless Eleven!" the guard spat as a town car pulled up behind him.

"What did you call me?! I'm Japanese!" Suzako yelled, her voice cracking out of fear- not fear for herself, but for Leloucia.

"You lost; you're nothing but a shit Number now." He yanked on Leloucia's arm, dragging her to the car.

"Suzy!" Leloucia cried out, mustering any strength she had to fight against the guard.

Olive eyes narrowed, determined, as her whole body was pumped full of adrenaline as she stood up against the indescribable ache in her leg. She stumbled forward towards the car. She had to save Leloucia from this man; she couldn't stand by; not if she wanted to be her knight someday.

The guard threw Leloucia into the car, slamming the door shut; muttering something about how there was no doubt that this little witch was Lady Marianne's daughter. Leloucia scrambled to the back window, staring at Suzako as she staggered behind the car.

"Suzy!" Her cries echoed through the town car, tears never stopping. How could they just leave her injured there like that? Her stomach churned, fear setting in. Suzako was so strong, but they were quite a ways from the shrine.

Suzako's leg buckled, forcing her to her knees. She clenched her eyes closed against the sudden wash of shameful tears that filled them. Her fingernails dug at the busted pavement.

"Luluko-!" she choked out, tears falling freely now.

She couldn't protect Leloucia. How would she ever be worthy enough to be a knight now? A sob caught in her throat, inducing a violent cough and gasps for air.  
_  
I failed you... Could you ever forgive me?_


	2. Chapter 2

In one of the side rooms of the Engineering Corps sat the newest Knightmare pilot for the Britannian army. As a female and an Eleven, she was only allowed to be a test pilot for the new seventh generation models. Still, she tried her best to please her superiors. Her boss, Earl Lloyd Asplund, was impressed by her level of skill, even though she had no previous experience.

Lloyd worked directly under the Second Prince of the empire, Schneizel el Britannia. He was the one Suzako was really trying to impress. If she could just meet him once, then maybe she could get closer to the family. It seemed hopeless from the beginning, but it was the only way she thought she could ever see her childhood friend, Third Princess Leloucia vi Britannia.

It had been five long years since she had last seen her friend. It had been painful both physically and emotionally. But ever since that day she swore she'd find her princess again. If only she had known it would be so hard…

"Here you are, Suzako," Lloyd's assistant, Cecile, said as she entered the room.

Suzako looked up from the training manual that she was reading. "Oh, Miss Cecile, is it time to run more tests on the Lancelot?"

She smiled sweetly as she shook her head. Cecile was such a gentle person, but could get rather frightening when she had to. She was a soldier after all.

"No, you got some mail," she said handing her a single white letter.

It was the first time Suzako had ever received letters of any sort. She had no friends and was disowned by the rest of the Kururugi family when she joined the Britannian Army.

"Who is it from?" she asked as she took the letter.

"The Third Princess, Leloucia vi Britannia," Cecile said, more surprised than the look on her face was letting on. "I didn't know you kept such high company."

"Oh- well, I-" she stuttered as she looked down at the letter. "I did a long time ago. She spent a summer here, before the war."

Cecile nodded, watching as Suzako slowly opened the letter. Suzako scanned the letter over once, her heart beating in her ears. She folded the letter and headed it back to Cecile.

"I believe it's for Lloyd."

Cecile's eyebrows knotted together, confused as she read over the letter.

"A summons?"

"Looks like it," Suzako said, sticking her face back in the manual, trying to keep her emotions in check. Her heart was pounding against her sternum. A warm blush crawled across her face. She couldn't believe it; she finally had the chance to see Luluko. Her eyes snapped open. Leloucia was a princess again, not the girl she knew five years ago. Leloucia was her superior now, not her friend.

************

Suzako stood in the middle of a drawing room in the consulate. She was wearing her new orange dress uniform. She had never needed one before this moment, a last minute fitting before she arrived at the  
consulate. She nervously smoothed out the front of her uniform, worrying her bottom lip in between her teeth.

When the heavy doors opened, she nearly jumped out of her skin. The royal guard introduced Third  
Princess Leloucia vi Britannia to Private Suzako Kururugi.

Instinctually, Suzako dropped to her knees, her right hand over her heart, eyes trained on the ground. She wouldn't even chance a look at the princess.

"It's an honor, Your Highness," Suzako spoke slow and calculated. Everything drilled into her for years as a soldier.

"Suzako… I'm so glad… to know you're alright…"

Suzako's eyes snapped up when she heard the uneasiness in the princess's voice. A soft gasp ghosted over her lips. Leloucia had grown up so much since she last saw her. Her hair was longer now, hanging down around her waist, framing her slender body. And her amethyst eyes were shining underneath a fine layer of tears.

Suzako slowly stood up, adverting her eyes from this beautiful woman her friend had grown in to.

"I apologize for worrying you, Your Highness."

"Suzy…" her voice was unsteady. "Please, I hate titles in private."

"I apologize, Princess."

Suzako kept her eyes on the floor as an awkward silence set into the room. She didn't like this silence, but knew she shouldn't say anything. It wasn't her place. She nervously bit her lip and straightened out her skirt with sweaty palms once more.

"I've been looking for you for a long time." Leloucia finally spoke up. "I read the papers every day since I left, to see if they ever said what had happened to you."

Suzako looked up, a sad smile on her face. On one hand, she was glad the princess, her Luluko, had never forgotten about her. But on the other hand, she had remembered how she was conditioned to obey her superiors- and that included Leloucia. They were no longer friends.

"I do apologize, Princess. I would have tried to contact you, but letters from a Number surely would have never reached you."

"Well, now that I know where to reach you, I can at least arrange meetings like this in the future." A shaky smile slid across her face. "It might be hard while I'm away at school, but I can try."

Suzako's eyes widened, olive eyes sparkling, "School?"

"I start at Ashford Academy on Monday. The Ashford family has been sworn to secrecy about my identity, so I'll be living on campus and attending classes as a normal student."

Suzako's heart sped up; her hardwired need to protect Leloucia overriding the obedient servant inside her. How could the royal family ever agree to let a princess go to a public school? Aren't there royal schools for them, or at least a private school noble's children go to?

"Oh- but is that safe for you, Princess?"

Leloucia chewed on her lower lip, but her eyes were bright.

"There will be guards all over the school - and like I said, my identity is a secret. I probably shouldn't have told you, but I know I'll be fine."

Suzako's eyes narrowed on the princess, hardly convinced by her words. Suzako would always worry about this girl's safety, especially if that safety wasn't in her hands. How could she possibly trust these guards she didn't know.

Silence fell over the two teens once more. This whole conversation felt fake and forced. Leloucia had hardly grown emotionally even if she was developing beautifully into a young woman. Suzako had a feeling Leloucia didn't understand this was their relationship now. It was a superior and subordinate relationship, nothing more, no matter how much both girls wanted it to be different.

"Well, I need to finish packing for Ashford - I leave in two days. So I'll excuse you for now."

Suzako stood up, before bowing, "Yes, your highness."

Suzako turned to leave when she caught Leloucia running toward her out of the corner of her eye. Suzako felt the princess's delicate arms around her waist, her head nuzzling into the soldier's neck. Suzako stood there stunned, her arms frozen at her sides.

"Suzy... I missed you so much, Suzy. I'm so glad... that you're alive."

At Leloucia's words, Suzako's arms shook at her sides. Loosely she wrapped her arms around Leloucia's waist, not sure if she's allowed to touch her like this.

"Again, I apologize for worrying you, Princess."

Leloucia abruptly ripped away from her former friend. She stormed out of the room, sobs very obviously wracking her body.

Suzako reached out for her, but it was too late. She stood in the middle of the large drawing room, her heart plunging into her stomach. It told her to chase after her, hold her princess close to her, telling her over and over again how much she loved her and missed her. But Suzako's feet were anchored to this one spot. The soldier, who once prided herself for being so strong, collapsed to the ground, tears  
pouring out of her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

It was late November as Suzako stood in the consulate's drawing room once more. She looked out the large bay window, watching the last of the leaves wilt and fall from the trees in the garden. Leloucia had summoned her again. But unlike last time, there were no letters, just a rushed call to Lloyd, demanding her presence immediately.

So why are you so late, Your Highness?

************

Leloucia stood on the other side of the large doors, nervously biting her nails. This was her last chance; it all had to go according to plan. But, she no longer knew the Suzako that stood on the other side of the door. Today had only two outcomes, it was either going to go just okay, or horribly wrong.

The princess took a deep breath and motioned to the guard to open the door. Just like the last time, Suzako dropped to her knees in a deep bow the moment Leloucia appeared. Leloucia's lungs deflated in a heavy sigh as she walked across the room towards the table and waiting tea.

Suzako could hear her heart beat in her ears. As she stood she watched Leloucia out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't look at this beautiful woman her former best friend had turned into without her heart racing.

"You summoned me, Your Highness?"

Leloucia sighed, smoothing out the back of her skirt as she sat down. It was a simple dress, hemmed just above her knee. It might have been a little too revealing on her slender frame –and definitely not proper clothing for the season; but it was all she had and wanted this to seem informal as possible, even if Suzako was still in her dress uniform.

Leloucia picked up the teapot, pouring herself some tea. "You know you don't have to be so formal with me, Suzako. It's just us, there's no need for titles."

"Y-yes, Princess," Suzako stuttered. She wasn't sure if she should join her at the table, she was never ordered to. Cautiously, she went to stand next to the table, her hands folded behind her back.

"Did you want to tell me something, Princess?"

Leloucia sighed again, gripping her teacup tightly, "Sit down, Suzako, that's why the chair is there." I suppose I'll have to tell her she's allowed to eat, too. She slowly raised her cup to her lips, thinking, as Suzako sat down just as obedient as ever.

Suzako watched the Princess with wide eyes. Leloucia's face was calm, her eyes staring at nothing. Suzako knew Leloucia was lost in her own thoughts. Suzako also knew if people were smart enough, they'd fear that face more than Suzako's fists.

"I don't know if you remember, Suzako, or even realized it, but – my birthday is coming up next month."

Suzako's eyes fell to her empty teacup. There was no way she would ever forget Leloucia's birthday. When she had first joined the army she had tried to send Leloucia a card for her birthday, but the other soldiers just laughed and threw it in the trash.

"I would never forget your birthday, Princess."

Leloucia smiled slightly against the rim of her teacup before taking a sip. She set the cup down, folding her delicate hands in her lap.

"Then you probably also know that's when I'll be sixteen, and I will finally make my public debut. And… it's not required, but I will have the privilege of choosing a personal knight."

"A knight," Suzako repeated, her heart beat beginning to race. It had still been her wish to be Leloucia's knight, but it was slipping through her fingers with every passing day, and now it seemed too late.

"Have you chosen your knight yet?"

Leloucia's eyes lowered to her teacup as she absentmindedly traced its rim with her finger. "To be honest I haven't even looked at candidates. Cornelia gave me a list, but it's only taking up space on my desk at the moment."

Suzako looked down at her hands as her chest began to tighten. Even in the safety of the consulate, she couldn't help but worry about the princess's safety. The times weren't exactly peaceful in Area 11 with terrorist groups like the Japanese Liberation Front still at large.

"Do you not want one then?"

"There is… one knight that I want," she paused, chewing nervously on her lower lip. She didn't understand where this uneasy feeling was coming from. "Five years ago… you said you'd be my knight… is that still your wish, Suzako?"

A gasp shattered in her throat as she looked up at Leloucia, her eyes wide. Her heartbeat was in her ears; she couldn't believe it. Leloucia had remembered her impulsive promise from five summers ago. She never wanted to see that summer of happiness end.

"Of course I still want to!"

But she knew reality was different. Reality said a Number could never be a knight.

Leloucia looked up, smiling sadly. There was a glimpse of her Suzy she once knew.

"I just wasn't sure that still wanted to. It's been years, I had no way of knowing if your goals had changed."

"My goals have never changed," she sighed, her features falling, "even if it's all for nothing; there's no way a Number could become a knight."

Leloucia cocked her head to the side, blinking once, twice. "I'm the one who will be doing the knighting, so I'll be the one to say if you're a knight or not."

The Eleven shook her head, a sad smile on her face. "They say no one will recognize it- and I can't bring shame to your name, Princess. I won't allow myself to."

"They'll recognize it if I tell them to!" the princess yelled, setting her teacup down roughly, surprising herself. She didn't know she had it in her to yell at her friend. "And I don't give a damn what they think of me. You could never shame me, Suzako."

Suzako bowed her head completely. "It will still happen, and I don't want to harm you in anyway, Princess. I'm sure whoever you do finally choose as your knight will protect you and your name." She didn't understand what she was saying. Luluko was offering her all she ever wanted, a chance to stay at her friend's side and protect her.

Leloucia stood up abruptly, her chair skidding across the wood floor. She stalked over to stand in front of the picture window on the opposite wall, hiding her face and tears.

"Suzako... do you know what I did every day for the four years after we met?" She paused, waiting for a reply that never came from the soldier. "I read the papers. Every day I looked for your name, in the articles, in the obituaries. I looked for you for four years."

Her hands clenched into fists at her side, tears threatening to slip down her cheeks.

"And when I found you, I realized you had become a lapdog of this country, you were submissive. You weren't the same girl I was looking for."

The tears spilled over, traveling in angry tracks down her cheeks.

"The Suzy I knew back then - the one who promised to be my knight - would not have given up like this. Tell me, does that person even exist anymore?"

Suzako stared at the princess, anchored in the chair. She wanted to move, she wanted so bad to rush to her friend's side and hold her close, just like the last time they saw each other that summer. Her heart burned, like an angry fist was clenching down on it when she heard how upset Leloucia was.

"Isn't that what a knight is though? A princess's personal subordinate?"

Leloucia's whole body shook, wracked with tears. She only started to cry harder when she realized she only wanted to feel Suzako's strong arms around her, holding her, protecting her.

"You would be... so much more than that to me... a companion, a friend... you would protect me and obey me, but... I could never think of myself as being above you."

She drew in a shaky breath, covering her mouth with her closed fist, trying desperately to stifle the sobs.

"But it looks like we'll never have that."

As she listened to Leloucia's words, it slowly dawned on Suzako. Those were all the things she ever wanted to be: Leloucia's friend and partner, to go through everything by her princess's side, and to be  
that protector, the only one in charge of this precious life.

She stood up slowly; joining Leloucia at the window, she slowly wrapped her arms around the princess, hugging her from behind. She held Leloucia tight against her chest, burying her face in the dark locks.

Before she even realized she said it, she whispered against the princess's fair skin.

"I want to be with you." _I want it more than anything, to be by your side, to never leave it again._

Leloucia nearly choked on the smile that crawled across her face, the tears that ran down her cheeks turning blissful. At Suzako's words she turned around in her arms, staring deep into olive eyes. Leloucia reached up to touch the side of her future knight's face.

"Then please, Suzy," she smiled sweetly, the only way a princess could, "won't you be my knight?"

The soldier reached up, uncertain if she was allowed to touch a princess like this. Everything in her chest tightened as she placed her hand over Leloucia's and leaned into the touch.

"If that is what you wish, Princess."

Leloucia couldn't suppress her happiness as her smile grew. The day was turning out better than she had thought it would.

"It is, but I won't ask it of you if it's not what you want."

Suzako shook her head, closing her eyes against the sudden tears.

"No... it's all I've ever wanted."

The tears had stopped, pure joy pumping through Leloucia's veins.

"Then, come this December, you will be my knight, Suzako Kururugi."

"Ye-yes your-" Suzako bit her lip, stopping herself from using formalities. "Understood, Luluko."

Leloucia's heart sped up as a few blissful tears slipped down her face at the sound of her name. Luluko. This soldier was her Suzy after all.

She wrapped Suzako up in a tight hug, unable to stop smiling.

"I can't wait for my birthday now. I was dreading it before but... I'm excited."

Once Suzako realized how close they were standing her face began to rapidly turn red along with the back of her neck. She took a step back, putting some distance between the two of them. She looked down at her feet, trying desperately to hide her red-hot face.

"I-I'm glad you're excited, Princess."

"I couldn't ask for a better birthday present - the promise of spending every day together with you." She sighed contently."After all we went through to get here, I could never ask for anything else."

Suzako nodded as her face cooled off she looked back up at her princess. It was an honest smile on her face, her first in a long time.

"As long as I know you're safe, and happy, then I'll be happy too."

Leloucia couldn't help but think that today went splendidly well. And for once, she was okay with being wrong.


End file.
